Chapter 4
Hidden within his subtle, glowing gaze was a deep, murderous intent. It made my entire body stiffen, like a young rabbit placed before a predator.
It was strange.
「Thirteen drops of blood from a creature harboring venom.」
Why, of all moments, was this information surfacing in my mind right now?
「Harboring venom.」
This was happening even while the man before me was in a position to crush my throat with ease.
「Creature’s blood.」
*Clink, clink.* A warning bell rang in my head.
‘Ah, I see.’
I understood now. Why the magic circle had reacted to this man’s blood.
Hoping my voice wouldn’t tremble, I opened my mouth.
“You aren’t human, are you?”
To think the demon I had been so desperate to meet was right before my eyes.
“I am human.”
Deyan retorted immediately.
His mouth claimed he was a human like me, but his voice was excessively rough. It was the voice of a pure beast.
‘Liar.’
Perhaps he read the disbelief in my eyes, for he spoke once more.
“I am human.”
The beast—or demon—was doing a slightly better job of mimicking a person this time.
“That is why I told you not to wound yourself. I apologize for pushing you earlier.”
Deyan rattled off a string of incoherent words.
“Are you hurt anywhere? If you can walk, please leave this room for now and return in… in about an hour. Whatever you wish to interrogate me about, let’s just—let’s do it later.”
“Oh my? I don’t want to.”
I smiled, feigning nonchalance.
“Grand Duchess. Please, enough!”
He squeezed his eyes shut and ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
It was amusing to see him struggling to suppress his rage while maintaining a polite tone to the very end.
“Can we not discuss this later?”
Deyan asked, sounding as if he were pleading.
“No. We cannot.”
If I gave him time, this man would find a way to escape.
Of course, I had kept one hostage in case of such an event, but it was most efficient to finish things quickly and cleanly.
‘Think, Idir Hubert.’
Deyan’s nosebleed had already stopped. And the wound on his abdomen…
‘There’s no blood.’
It had been a wound severe enough that his life could not have been guaranteed.
It was strange that not a single drop of blood came out after I had prodded that wound with my shoe heel.
‘Has the injury already healed?’
Even a needle prick takes two days to fade. It was near impossible for a wound of that magnitude to heal in mere hours.
If one were human, that is.
‘So, you are the Immortal of Adorif.’
Yes, this man was truly an Immortal.
It wasn’t just a moniker to describe his strength; he was truly…
Once I realized the truth, an unexpected question popped into my head.
“By the way, how old are you?”
“…Excuse me?”
The murderous intent that had been distorting Deyan’s face flickered for a moment.
“What kind of absurd question is that?”
“You don’t seem human, so I’m just asking.”
“I am human.”
The Immortal replied firmly. Perhaps his anger had subsided a little, as his eyes looked calmer than before.
“Then explain it to me.”
I demanded coolly.
“Who you are, and how you were able to heal from that wound so quickly.”
“This is…”
The mouth that looked ready to retort was pressed firmly shut.
“See?”
I smiled brightly and approached him slowly, yet cautiously.
“You can’t answer.”
“It won’t do you any good to know.”
“Hmm. Then should I report you to the temple?”
Deyan remained silent. It seemed I had successfully struck a nerve.
“It wouldn’t matter, would it? Sir Immortal.”
“Do not call me by such strange titles.”
To think the only thing he could say was a petty complaint like that.
‘How cute.’
His ability to argue, which was little more than a tantrum, was truly adorable.
“I’ll make you a proposal.”
I picked up the dagger that had been lying abandoned on the floor. Then, I crouched in front of Deyan and held the blade toward him.
“Thirteen drops of your blood. A nosebleed will suffice.”
“…”
“Give me that, and I will send you back to your home country.”
His eyes scanned the blade and my face in turns. He was clearly gauging the truth of my words.
“Of course, you don’t have a choice. You’ve been caught by me on charges of illegal entry.”
I drove the wedge in with a smile.
“I trust you know that this is a matter that could easily be blown up into an international incident.”
“…”
“Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been scurrying across that forest like a rat, would you?”
“…For now, let’s put that away and talk.”
His tightly shut lips finally parted, and Deyan pushed the blade aside with his index finger.
‘His fingernails…’
I caught a glimpse of his hand; where nails should have been, there were only calluses.
“I will ask you. Why on earth are you trying to take my blood?”
“It’s an ingredient for summoning a demon.”
“A de… what?”
Deyan’s mouth hung open in a daze.
“An ingredient for demon summoning. I’ve tried using the blood of various creatures so far, but yours was the only one that reacted.”
I decided not to bother hiding it.
“You’re the one who found a Demon Summoning Sacrifice, yet you threatened to report me to the temple?”
“Oh my. You’re going to harp on that?”
“Isn’t that only natural?”
I giggled, and Deyan looked flabbergasted. He was now looking at me as if I were some kind of freak.
I met his gaze and shrugged.
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t cooperate. I can just take it by force.”
As I said that, I swung the blade horizontally.
‘Look at this.’
I had thought he would surely block it with his hand if I threatened him like this, but this seasoned knight pulled his body back and grabbed my elbow.
“Give it up.”
“Ouch.”
Deyan, who had occupied the space behind me in an instant, grabbed my elbow and pinned it. Naturally, the dagger was taken away as well.
“The moment I scream, the guards will come running and subdue you.”
“It would be better if you didn’t.”
“They will naturally use force, and in the process, a wound or two will surely appear on your body.”
“I warned you.”
“What warning?”
I tilted my head back to look into Deyan’s eyes.
The blood-red hue that had been flickering in his subtle hazel irises had already vanished.
“The warning that you would become a monster?”
“…”
As soon as I teased him, his brow furrowed.
He must think I’m a sharp-witted woman. Or perhaps he just didn’t like me.
“If you understand, stop doing reckless things.”
“I think I can handle losing thirteen drops of blood.”
“Give up on the demon summoning, too. Do you have any idea what kind of disaster that could cause? Are you insane?”
Perhaps annoyed by my constant smiling, Deyan asked rather harshly.
I raised my free hand and gently brushed his well-defined jawline.
“Perhaps.”
Yes, I am insane.
Giselle probably thinks I’m insane, too.
A liege who is obsessed with summoning demons just to increase the nation’s power.
“But put yourself in my shoes, Sir.”
The pressure on my arm loosened slightly.
I felt the pain in my shoulder joint subside and continued.
“Including your home country, every nation on this continent is eyeing the Grand Duchy of Plene.”
“…”
“We are caught between great powers, trembling in fear of when we might be trampled. You know that I’m called the Shrimp Princess, don’t you?”
“I have never called the Grand Duchess by such a derogatory term.”
“I suppose not. And my arm hurts.”
Deyan hesitated before letting go of my arm.
Does he think he can let go now that he’s disarmed me?
‘How soft-hearted.’
With my back to him, I rubbed my aching elbow and shoulder.
“Are you going to ask the demon for a wish? To make the Grand Duchy of Plene strong?”
His low voice flew at me like a blade, piercing my back.
“It is foolish. If you thought things would go according to your will, you are truly a stupid…”
“No.”
I stood up and brushed off the hem of my dress.
“I am going to pray for the strength to take revenge.”
Then, I turned to face Deyan directly and declared.
“I want to take revenge on the culprit who murdered my mother.”
In exchange, I will offer the culprit’s blood and flesh, and my own soul.
“Wouldn’t that be a good deal for both the demon and me?”
“Take the Grand Duchess’s body down, now!”
When I closed my eyes, the afterimage of that moment still appeared vividly.
The body hanging and swaying from the ceiling, tied with a thin rope. The massive back of my father, who had collapsed upon seeing it.
If I could set everything right by going insane, I would gladly dance in the pits of hell.
“Someone like you, who has lived life wielding a sword from the position of the strong, could never understand.”
The emotions I could neither turn away from nor swallow only grew in magnitude as the years passed.
“We were so powerless that we couldn’t even find the culprit who murdered the Grand Duchess.”
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